I want a boom tent to keep the sun off the deck. but I've got a Doyle stack-pack. The lazy jacks and just the bulk of the stack-pack itself makes draping a tent over the boom seem like too much trouble.

My idea is to install a length of awning track on each side of the boom, and have a 2-piece boom tent that slides into the awning track on each side and extends outward from there , thus not interfering with the stack-pack or the lazy jacks.

Is this a feasible solution? Will pop-riveting awning track to the boom substantially weaken it?

I have a buddy with a similar set-up... he made a frame out of PVC (not glued for easy take-down) with a center lift point and guy-out tabs on each corner. He hauls it with a spare topping lift and secures the corners to the lifelines with bungee cords. Dicey in big winds, but makes good shade other times!

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__________________Any fool with a big enough checkbook can BUY a boat; it takes a SPECIAL type of fool to build his own! -Capngeo

I make an awning with battens similiar to sail battens but heavier. It can be used as a windscoop fore deck awning or under boom awning. to fly it it has center grommets at each end that can be tightened with a winch and down lines at the end of each batten. It can be flown almost flat due to the heavy battens or very curved in the conestoga wagon style. Its virtually the most versatile piece of canvas aboard that has acted as a water collection device as well and could be used as a square sail in a pinch.

Hey forsail. The battened awning sounds interesting. How thick/long are the battens? What is their spacing? Overall size? I am thinking aahead here, since I am still in the skeletal stage of construction.

I have a buddy with a similar set-up... he made a frame out of PVC (not glued for easy take-down) with a center lift point and guy-out tabs on each corner. He hauls it with a spare topping lift and secures the corners to the lifelines with bungee cords. Dicey in big winds, but makes good shade other times!

I can't visualize this. If it a similar set-up to what I've described, what is the center lift point and the topping lift used for? My concept has an awning track attached to the boom to support the awning in the center. Haven't yet figured out what will support it at the outboard edges, but the batten idea sounds interesting.

An awning track is just an extruded piece of aluminum with a slot similar to that in the boom that holds the foot of the sail. Sew a bolt rope into the edge of the boom tent, and that slides into the slot on the awning track. So, basically it's just two small awnings: one on each side of the boom, with the boom acting as the center support.

What came with my boat is made up of 3 pieces, bow pulpit to mast, mast to boom gallows, boom gallows to stern all zippered together and attached to lifeline at stanchions...what I would like to say to anyone who is having any sort of tarp, awning etc made is that if they have a rope sewn into the edge of the tarp it will extend the life considerably.

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I can't visualize this. If it a similar set-up to what I've described, what is the center lift point and the topping lift used for? My concept has an awning track attached to the boom to support the awning in the center. Haven't yet figured out what will support it at the outboard edges, but the batten idea sounds interesting.

An awning track is just an extruded piece of aluminum with a slot similar to that in the boom that holds the foot of the sail. Sew a bolt rope into the edge of the boom tent, and that slides into the slot on the awning track. So, basically it's just two small awnings: one on each side of the boom, with the boom acting as the center support.

If this would work, I still need to figure out how to keep it extended and supported. Short battens from the center to the outer edge, with a length of PVC in the edge seems worth exploring.

OK... I'll give it a word picture shot>>>
Imagine an "H" with a box around it out of PVC, covered in sunbrella. the very center has a hole where about 3" of PVC is exposed. THAT is the attachment for the lift/halyard. Each of the extreme corners of the box had a tab with a grommet that a bungee was affixed to which in turn were hooked to a lifeline. The result was similar to a large square kite. He had a second which was triangular that he flew over the foredeck. His boom was quite high over the deck and his "kite" was rigged just beneath it.

The boat lies not far from me, I'll go by and see if he has them up. BTW its a very cool old wooden sloop from '39 I think.... he regularly transits it from West Coast FL to Belize

__________________Any fool with a big enough checkbook can BUY a boat; it takes a SPECIAL type of fool to build his own! -Capngeo

Is this a feasible solution? Will pop-riveting awning track to the boom substantially weaken it?

I like the idea but if you are worried about lots of holes in the boom, then why not glue a length of velcro along the boom instead. Probably cheaper than ali track too, won't corrode and just as strong.

Velcro seems like a hell of an idea. A strip of velcro the length of my boom, 15'+ and I'll bet the awning would stay on through pretty good wind conditions. I've got a lifting strap rated at 300lbs that has only about a foot of velcro on it.

I like the idea but if you are worried about lots of holes in the boom, then why not glue a length of velcro along the boom instead. Probably cheaper than ali track too, won't corrode and just as strong.

Pete

Or, since the OP has a lazybag, why not sew into its sides two long zipper halves close to the boom? The other zipper halves would go to two awning halves. Clean, cheap and no drill holes or glue marks on boom. Maybe add a little velcro at both zipper ends for reinforcement.

Or, since the OP has a lazybag, why not sew into its sides two long zipper halves close to the boom? The other zipper halves would go to two awning halves. Clean, cheap and no drill holes or glue marks on boom. Maybe add a little velcro at both zipper ends for reinforcement.

Now this sounds like an excellent option...

No new holes in the boom, Stable anchor for the awning... should look pretty tidy...